


The Art of Attraction

by reminiscingintherain



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 1D Twisted Tropes Exchange, Art AU, M/M, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-08-11 15:27:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20155825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reminiscingintherain/pseuds/reminiscingintherain
Summary: In which Zayn owns a coffee shop that sells art and runs open mic nights, Harry's his pastry chef, Louis' his accountant/barista, Liam's the hot customer he can't get out of his head, and Niall's his art dealer.





	The Art of Attraction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Laziam (MItCheLlInE)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MItCheLlInE/gifts).

> Ahh! I really really hope I did this prompt justice... and I really hope you like it, [guilty1dlove](http://guilty1dlove.tumblr.com/)!!
> 
> Huge thanks as always to my awesome betas [Lynda](http://wait4ever.tumblr.com/) and [Katie](http://larrymaybe22.tumblr.com/).
> 
> And a massive shout out to [Evelin](http://evilovesyou.tumblr.com/) for the moodboard!  

> 
> _Extra note: Some people may have seen this when I originally posted it to the collection a couple weeks ago.. unfortunately Ao3 had a bit of a hissy fit and revealed this fic too early. Thankfully it sorted itself out, and hid it again! Apologies if anyone has already read this though - it wasn’t supposed to be live then!!_

"Thanks for visiting  _ Zap! _ , come again soon," Zayn smiled, as he closed the door behind the last customer and flipped the sign to 'closed'.

"Good day today, Zaynie," Louis said from the till, where he was currently cashing up. "We're definitely getting busier."

"Word's obviously getting out about your amazing staff," Harry boasted, before he promptly tripped over the mop and bucket he was just pushing out of the kitchen.

"Careful, love," Louis said softly, grabbing hold of him easily.

"Well, I'm glad it's getting out at all," Zayn replied, ignoring Harry's clumsiness and starting to wipe down the tables. "How many of the pieces did we sell today, Lou?"

"Uh, three?" Louis offered, quickly grabbing the record book to check. "Yeah, three. All by JP. Popular one, that."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised," Zayn nodded. "I'm gonna have to get in contact with the agent and get some more."

"I think this is going to wind up being an amazing venture, Zaynie," Harry told him, getting to work with the mop on the grubby floor. "You've obviously found a niche that people didn't realise they wanted."

Zayn took a deep breath as he shrugged a little.

"I just set up something I wanted, but that doesn't already exist," he stated. "I'm not counting my chickens yet though - I need at least twelve months of profit before I can safely say this is a success. Not just twelve weeks."

"We're in it for the long haul, babe, you know that," Louis reassured him with a wink.

"I don't think the doors would have even opened if not for you two here, so thank you, a million times," Zayn smiled.

"We'll take your unending gratitude and bottomless drinks as payment," Harry nodded seriously, then grinned brightly. "Don't be daft, Zaynie. We love you. Course we're here."

"Well, it means a lot," Zayn shrugged. "Now, are we all done?"

"I think so," Louis replied. "Everything's put away out back, the cleaning's all done, cash just needs to go in the safe, then we're ready for the off. Chinese tonight? My treat?"

"Sounds perfect, darling," Harry beamed, pressing a kiss to Louis' cheek as he manoeuvred the bucket back into the kitchen.

"I need to call my mum, I promised her I'd speak to her two days ago, but we've been so busy, it's dropped down the list," Zayn pulled a face. "I'm starting to get texts asking if I'm still alive."

"Go call Trisha, give her our love, we'll get the food and meet you at yours," Louis decided. "You want me to leave a note in the office about ordering the new stuff from JP?"

"Please mate," Zayn nodded, shrugging into his leather jacket. "You both okay to lock up if I head on home?"

"Course. Go, talk to Trisha," Harry ushered him out of the door. "See you in a bit!"

Zayn chuckled and slipped out of the door, taking a deep breath of the cool evening air as he stepped off of the pavement and crossed the road. He paused on the other side and turned to look at his café.  _ His _ café. That was still something he was getting used to saying.

_ Zap! _ had been a pipe dream for so many years - a boutique café for artists to display and sell their work from, while serving the best in drinks, lunches, and afternoon tea. He remembered the first time he'd discussed it with Louis. Back then it was just the two of them; best friends with matching tattoos, matching scrapes and grazes from falling from their skateboards at the skate park, and matching anxiety about being gay in a relatively small town. And the best part had been the enthusiastic way Louis had encouraged him to follow that dream, even going so far as to promise that he'd be there to help.

It had taken a good ten years since that first discussion, during which time both he and Louis had gone through uni and come out with a business degree and an economics degree respectively, and Louis had met the love of his life in Harry, who just so happened to be a fully qualified pâtissier. He was completely on board with leaving his existing job - who didn't appreciate him or his work in the slightest - and joining the team as their main pastry chef, designing and creating artisan cakes and breads that helped to make  _ Zap! _ the newest popular café in the area.

The art was completely Zayn's area. Alongside his business degree, he'd minored in art appreciation, which allowed him access to the curators catalogue, so he could pick and choose the art he wished to display and sell. He only had them up on the walls for a maximum of two weeks, thereby creating urgency in his patrons to purchase. Thankfully, there had only been a handful of pieces he'd had to send back to the agents as unsaleable.

"Hi Mum," he said into the phone as he shoved his other hand into his jeans pocket, walking the few roads over to his small flat. "Sorry, I know I said I'd call before. Things have been so busy at work, it's been late when we've gotten out. Lou and Haz are shutting up for me tonight so I can speak to you."

"They're good boys," Trisha told him. "But you're okay, love?"

"Yeah, yeah, everything's going brilliantly," Zayn said enthusiastically. "I need to get in contact with the agents tomorrow and order some more prints in. Or see if there's any chance of originals. That'd be sick. We sold three today."

"That's brilliant," Trisha smiled. "I'm so proud of you, darling. Me and your dad are going to come visit you next week. It's been a bit too long since we last saw you, and we want to see what the café looks like now that you've all settled in."

"Oh Mum, that'd be awesome. I miss you all so much."

"I'll let you know when we've decided on a date," Trisha assured him. "But I'll let you go get some food if you're only just finishing. Be good, and make sure you call me again in a few days."

"Will do, Mum," Zayn chuckled. "Give my love to Dad. Love you, Mum."

"Love you too, sweetheart."

Zayn shoved his phone back in one pocket, and pulled his keys out of the other to unlock his front door. He immediately dropped to his knees as a tabby and white cat trotted up to him.

"Hiya, darling," he greeted Timber, picking him up. "How's your day been? You been a good boy?"

He kept chattering away to the cat as he made his way inside, flicking on lights and getting Timber's food out of the bottom cupboard to feed him.

"Good boy," he murmured, stroking down Timber's back as he tucked into his food. "Uncle Lou and Uncle Haz will be along in a bit. So be prepared for lots of fusses and playtime."

Timber just flicked his tail at him, making Zayn chuckle as he opened the top cupboard and pulled out a stack of plates and three glasses, taking them into the living room in preparation for Harry and Louis to arrive with their food.

Once the bell rang, and the other lads were let in, the three friends sat down and chattered away about the day, and the potential open mic nights that Zayn had been considering.

"I think they'll be a good idea, lad," Louis said around a mouthful of rice. "It'll get people in, and sure, we gotta be open a bit later on a Friday night, but I reckon it'll be worth it."

"I agree," Harry nodded, smacking at Zayn's chopsticks with his own to get the last prawn, and smirking at Zayn's noise of protest. "I reckon it'll be really popular." He gave Zayn a wink. "And maybe we'll finally get Zaynie a boyfriend."

"Will you calm your shit about that already?" Zayn sighed. "You've been on about it for weeks. I don't need or want a boyfriend."

"Lies," Louis hissed, pointing at him with a chopstick.

"Not lies, not at all," Zayn huffed. "I don't really have time for a boyfriend either. My life is so full right now, with the shop, with you guys, and with Timber. Seeing the fam when I can. Occasionally getting a trip to the cinema, or a night in the pub, or a day to myself with a blank canvas." He gave Louis and Harry a small smile. "But I appreciate the care and concern that you're both showing."

"Fine, fine," Harry sighed. "We're just one of those sickly sweet couples who want everyone else around them to be happy and paired off."

"I get that," Zayn chuckled. "But I promise I'm good right now. I'll let you know if I change my mind at all. Or if someone comes into my life that forces me to make some time and space for them. Cos I guess that's what really makes a relationship, right?"

"Definitely is, bro," Louis nodded with a wink. "I'm glad you're mature enough to know this."

"So, anyway, open mic nights," Zayn dragged the conversation back under control. "You know anywhere I could get the right equipment?"

"It's funny you should ask, actually," Harry started, leaning forward intently.

~~~~

Two weeks later, Zayn opened up the door to their first open mic night, his eyes wide as he noted the queue that had built, before the customers started to make their way inside.

"Hi, hello, welcome," he greeted each person, still a little stunned. "Please take a seat wherever, I'll be out to serve you shortly."

He squeezed through the people and slipped through the kitchen door, shutting it behind him and staring at Harry.

"There's loads of them," he whispered. "So, so many."

Harry looked at him for a moment, then burst into a fit of giggles.

"Oh, sweetie," he cooed. "Are you a bit overwhelmed? It's gonna be okay. We'll get through this."

"I don't think we will," Zayn shook his head quickly. "There's just too much. Too many. Oh god."

"Just breathe, it's gonna be fine, we can handle this," Harry tried again. "Do you need me to get Louis?"

"Yes, no, no, if he comes back here, there'll be no one out there," Zayn ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck, okay. I'm an adult, I can handle this." He shot a look at Harry. "You do not tell Louis about this. Ever. If you do, you're out on the street."

Harry held his hands up defensively, as Zayn backed out of the kitchen and spun around, coming face to face, or rather face to chest, with one of the fittest, most handsome men he'd ever clapped eyes on.

"U-uh h-hi," he stammered out. "C-Can I, uh... can I help you?"

"Hi there," the guy replied with a warm smile, that made his eyes crinkle up at the sides. "I'm just looking for a seat, to be honest, mate."

"Oh, uh," Zayn looked around wildly. "Um, I think, yeah, over there? There's a table for two?"

"Oh, aces, that's brill, thanks mate," the guy beamed again.

"I'll, um, I'll be over to take your order in a bit," Zayn managed to get out. "The menu should be on the table, so have a browse. I recommend the danishes, and the cupcakes." He paused for a moment. "The savoury muffins are amazing too." He chuckled. "We have an amazing in-house pastry chef, and basically everything he touches tastes amazing."

"Kind of you to say so, darling," Louis sassed as he passed with a tray of drinks.

Zayn sighed heavily.

"That's Louis, Harry the pastry chef's partner."

"This is awesome," the guy told him. "I love it."

"I'm Zayn, by the way," he eventually remembered to introduce himself, holding a hand out to shake.

"I'm Liam. I've been looking at this place for weeks, and I've heard a lot about it, but I've only just been able to get here."

"Well, you're always welcome," Zayn promised. "So please, take your seat."

Louis stepped up onto the mini-stage they'd set up.

"Good evening, guys, gals, non-binary pals," he greeted into the mic. "Welcome to the first  _ Zap! _ open mic night! If this goes well, we'll hold another. If it doesn't, we'll pretend it never happened." He grinned at the snickers that scattered around the room. "The sign up sheet is over on the counter, please feel free to come up whenever you're ready, and... basically, it'll be a first sign, first perform kinda deal! Also, please be sure to take a look at the artwork on the walls, all of which is for sale. Items clearly labelled. Thank you!"

A quiet smattering of applause followed him off of the stage.

Zayn made his way over to Liam's table, iPad in hand ready to set up the bill and order.

"Can I take your order?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah, um, I'll have the spinach and feta muffin with the almond and cranberry slice, and a lime water, please," Liam ordered. "Um, can I ask something though? About the artwork?"

"Sure, mate," Zayn nodded. "You interested in any of the pieces?"

"Oh! Uh, I'm not sure," Liam said uncertainly. "I, uh, I was just... I mean. I like the style? They're like, um, impressionist, right?"

Zayn frowned slightly as he looked around at the walls, which were filled with modern pop art-style pieces.

"Well, I'm not sure that's the  _ exact _ genre these fall into," he hedged. "But I guess I can see where you're coming from, of a sort." He looked at Liam with a raised eyebrow. "Are you into art?"

"Yeah, I am!" Liam said enthusiastically. "I love it. It's amazing. Like, the talent you have to have to be able to take something from your head and put it on the page? Fantastic. Completely awesome and fantastic."

"I admire your enthusiasm, mate," Zayn chuckled. "That's more than I've got at 6am on a Saturday when I'm here waiting for a delivery of the next lot of canvases."

Liam blushed heavily.

"Sorry," he replied, scratching the back of his neck. "I, uh. I guess I get a little over-excited sometimes."

"Hey, not complaining in the slightest," Zayn winked. "But I do have some more tables to serve, so I'll be back in a bit, okay?"

"Oh, right, yes!" Liam blushed again. "I'll see you later."

Zayn smiled and nodded, before he slipped away to pass the order over to Louis at the counter.

"This for the beefcake in the corner?" Louis asked with a cheeky grin.

"Keep your mouth shut, Lou," Zayn warned.

Louis gave him an innocent look, before he turned to the coffee machine to make a cappuccino for another customer. Zayn shook his head and went around the rest of the patrons, before the first person took their place on the small stage.

A few hours later, most of the crowd had gone - a few stragglers were still chatting quietly over their tea and coffee, while Zayn and Louis cleaned up around them.

"Oh, should I be going?" Liam asked uncertainly, when Zayn wiped down the table next to him.

"Not at all, mate," Zayn smiled. "We don't actually close for another half an hour. We're just trying to get on top of everything so we're not stood around doing nothing now, and then not leaving here until over an hour after we've closed."

"Okay," Liam relaxed a little, giving a small smile.

"So, after being here a few hours, ruminating on the decor and the atmosphere, I have to ask," Zayn started. "Which picture do you like most?"

"Oh! Uh," Liam looked around the walls quickly. "I quite like the one that's actually painted on that back wall, actually."

Zayn looked around at it in surprise. The picture in question had been sprayed onto the wall by Zayn himself, and was the name of the cafe itself, in a comic book style.

"Really?" he asked in stunned disbelief.

"Yeah, I think that's sick," Liam nodded quickly. "I love comic books. And that looks aces."

"I did that," Zayn said quietly. "Painted it two days before we opened. Lou thought I'd lost the plot."

"Lou's an idiot," Liam said without thinking, immediately clapping a hand over his mouth. "Sorry!"

"No, no, that's a valid comment," Zayn chuckled. "But yeah. I decided the name when we were back in uni. Got it tattooed on my arm and everything," he added, tugging the long sleeve of his t-shirt up, revealing the same design on his forearm.

"That is amazing," Liam replied, completely awed. "I love it. Seriously, mate. It's so cool." He grinned brightly, his eyes crinkling up with the fullness of his smile.

"Thanks," Zayn shrugged a shoulder. "It's nothing like the artwork we sell, but I'm pretty proud of it."

"What's your favourite artist then? That you sell I mean."

"Uhhh, I dunno," Zayn looked around the walls in contemplation. "I quite like this set, by Smith. They're just prints though. The three down the side there, they're all originals, by an artist called JP."

"JP?" Liam raised both eyebrows. "That's their name?"

"All I got to go by," Zayn chuckled. "I only know that because of his signature in the corners. It's all done through their agent. But they sell really well, and I'm not surprised."

"You like them?" Liam asked.

"Yeah, definitely," Zayn nodded. "I can't even really explain what it is about them - there's just something that resonates or whatever. The best thing about art, I guess - you don't need to explain why you like something, because it's so objective."

"Oh, for sure. I mean, you should see my flat - my sisters are always complaining that the decor doesn't match, because I've got such an eclectic mix of artwork," Liam said quickly. "I, uh. I have some large comic book covers framed? And also, like. Some, um, some impressionist stuff, like Dali? And um, surrealism, like Edvard Munch? I have a huge print of  _ The Scream _ in my living room."

Zayn tilted his head slightly, watching the other man with slightly confused interest.

"That sounds awesome," he eventually said with a smile. "But I'd better get on with getting this place cleared up. Come in again, yeah?"

"Yeah! Yeah, of course," Liam nodded quickly. "Sorry for distracting you for so long. Have a good night, mate."

Liam drained his glass and stood up, tugging his leather jacket around him quickly, pushing his hand into the pocket of his jeans and pulling out a handful of coins that he carefully placed on the table as a tip. With a quick wink - that looked more like a blink, with both eyes, if Zayn was being honest - and he was off, weaving in and out of the tables before he was out of the door.

Zayn shook his head slightly in disbelief, before he cleared Liam's table, dropping the coins into his pocket and carrying the empty glass and plate up to the counter.

"Seemed like you were having a lovely conversation there," Louis needled.

"You need to learn when to shut your mouth, Lewis," Zayn muttered, concentrating intently on getting the coffee machine apart to clean it.

"Uh huh, sure," Louis rolled his eyes. "I already did that, so why are you washing it again?"

Zayn huffed and put it back together.

"Why didn't you tell me that when I started?" he asked.

"I did it when you were talking to the beefcake," Louis shrugged. "You seem to be a bit uptight about him." He looked around as the last of the customers stood to leave. "Goodbye! Thank you!" he called after them, watching as the door shut behind them, and Harry, who had come out of the kitchen to help clear through, flicked the lock and the closed sign over.

"He's just... a little bit confusing?" Zayn tried. "He's really quite enthusiastic about art, and knows his artists, but... he doesn't seem to realise that Munch is expressionism? And Dali was a surrealist?"

"Well, they're pretty easy things to get wrong, aren't they?" Harry reasoned. "I wouldn't have known that."

"No, I know," Zayn sighed. "Maybe I'm reading too much into this."

"It's the first time you've met him," Louis shrugged. "I think you flustered him, and in his attempts at impressing you, he fucked up. A lot."

"Thanks, that's helpful," Zayn muttered flatly. "I scare the bloke."

"I didn't say you scared him," Louis chuckled, giving his shoulder a gentle nudge. "I said you flustered him. Especially when you started getting your ink out."

"Zaynie got his ink out?" Harry piped up. "Did you show him the wings on your chest?"

"Fuck off, Styles, no I didn't," Zayn grumbled, folding his arms over his chest defensively. "I only showed him the Zap one."

"Dude was getting all pink around the neck and his ears," Louis said in a conspiratorial tone. "It was the cutest thing."

"There are definite downsides to being out the back all of the time," Harry sighed ruefully, lifting a chair and turning it over to rest it on the table. "We should find another pastry chef so I can spend some time out here."

"We're not employing a whole other staff member, just so you can get your rocks off keeping up with gossip," Zayn rolled his eyes.

"It was only a suggestion."

"Anyway," Louis said loudly and pointedly. "The whole point of this conversation is - this is the first lad I've seen you show any interest in for a long time, Zaynie. You think he'll be back?"

"I have no idea," Zayn muttered stubbornly. "But if he is, you'll both keep your traps shut for once, and leave me to serve, like we all agreed."

"Fine, fine, no hassling the beefcake," Louis huffed. "He's all yours."

There was a quiet pause, the silence only broken by the sounds of the three men cleaning and tidying up the small cafe.

"So, you think open mic was a success?" Harry eventually asked.

"I'll have to wait until Louis' checked the numbers," Zayn started - "they're looking awesome from what I can see," Louis interjected - "but I think it went well." Zayn caught sight of Harry's hopeful expression. "So yes, we may well have another in the future. And yes, you'll be able to get up there and sing something." He smiled at the bright grin that spread across Harry's face at that. "You'll be able to sing to more than just Lou, me, and the cat."

"Excuse you, but Timber loves my singing," Harry sniffed. "I think he actually likes me far more than you."

"That's cos you're always bribing him with treats," Zayn sighed. "For the millionth time, he's on a diet Haz, so no treats allowed."

"But he likes them!" Harry whined. "And he does tricks for them! And he's so adorable!"

"I'll do my best to curb it a little," Louis promised. "We've been considering getting our own. So maybe he can spoil that one instead."

"A cat, Lou?" Zayn raised an eyebrow. "Sounds a lot like commitment, babe."

"Shut it, you know Haz is it for me," Louis huffed.

The three continued to chatter quietly as they finished the clear-up, until they ducked out into the cold night air and locked the door behind them.

"See you in the morning, guys," Zayn promised, hugging them both tightly. "Go careful getting home."

"You too," Louis smiled, before he slipped his hand into Harry's and the two of them walked off in the opposite direction to Zayn, making their way home.

Zayn took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the mist hanging in the air in front of him for a few moments as he gazed up at the clear sky. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he tugged his coat tighter around him, and then slowly started to walk home.

~~~~

Over the next few weeks, Liam became a regular visitor to  _ Zap! _ , always making sure to sit at the same table, and mostly ordering the same thing - a spinach and feta muffin, with a lime water. He kept trying to talk to Zayn about art, both that displayed on the walls and the classics. But as the weeks went on, and it became clearer that his knowledge was shallow at best, but more often than not horrifically inaccurate, Zayn couldn't help but start to pull back a little, putting a little distance between the two of them, and maintaining a professional air with each of his visits.

"You have to stop being mean to the beefcake," Louis told him at the end of one shift.

"What? I'm not being mean!" Zayn protested. "And for fuck sake, please stop calling him a bloody beefcake - his name is Liam!"

"Well, whatever you're saying to him is the wrong thing," Louis said decisively. "Every time you leave his table, he looks like a kicked puppy. And Zaynie. He looks like an actual proper puppy. It's heartbreaking!"

Zayn let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand over his face.

"I know, I'm sorry," he huffed. "It's just... I don't think we've got that much in common, really. He likes comic books and old school hip hop, but that's not exactly enough to build a relationship on, no matter how fit he is."

"Who cares about a relationship?" Louis demanded. "You don't need to be soulmates to get your dick wet, babe!"

Zayn shot him a glare.

"You know I swore off one night stands after that psycho Derek kept stalking me," Zayn muttered. "Remember?"

"Oh yeah," Louis tilted his head to one side. "He was creepy as fuck. Weirdo."

"Exactly," Zayn agreed. "So, no more one night stands. I only want to go for actual relationships. And that means, I have to feel some kind of a connection."

"I thought you felt something for Liam though," Harry commented, leaning against the counter.

"I thought so too," Zayn mumbled, chewing at his bottom lip. "But it's like... it's slightly off? Like there's something about him that I'm missing, y'know? And it's so frustrating."

"You should take him out," Louis declared. "No, I mean it. Go on a date, see if things get any better when you're on your own and you don't have other customers distracting you."

"You think he'd actually go for it?" Zayn looked between them uncertainly.

"Of course he would," Harry said easily. "I've seen the way he looks at you. He thinks you're pretty," he added with a definite nod.

Zayn rolled his eyes a little as he blushed slightly.

"I think that's probably an exaggeration, but whatever," he huffed quietly. "I'll ask when he's in next."

"Make sure you do, Malik," Louis pointed at him. "Or you and I are gonna be having words."

~~~~

Zayn was kept waiting for over a week though, as Liam didn't make an appearance at the cafe in that time. Louis and Harry seemed to spend most of that time reassuring Zayn that he would return, while Zayn just grumbled at them and cleaned the tables a little bit harder, and the floor a little more thoroughly, before he went home to Timber and spent hours in his art room painting.

He'd practically resigned himself to never seeing Liam again, when the bell rang over the door in the middle of the usual Friday afternoon lull, and in strolled the man himself, taking a seat in his usual spot and pulling the menu close.

"Good afternoon, welcome to  _ Zap! _ , can I please take your order?" Zayn greeted him with a slow smile.

"Hey Zayn," Liam turned his bright grin to Zayn. "How's it going?"

"Oh, Liam, I barely recognised you," Zayn joked. "It's been so long - you don't write, you don't call... I thought you'd fallen off the face of the planet, mate!"

Liam giggled at Zayn's words, drawing one knee up to his chest a little.

"Sorry, I know, I know, it's been a while," he managed to chuckle out. "I've been really busy with work, and I just couldn't get away. I kept trying, but it wasn't something I could really escape."

"Ahh, the life of a working man," Zayn nodded sagely. "I understand the dilemma. This place seems to lock me in at times, or at least it feels like that sometimes."

"In a bad way?" Liam raised an eyebrow.

"Nah, not really. It's my choice. This is my dream, so I'm kinda grateful for every day I have here."

"That's amazing," Liam smiled. "I'm glad you get to live your dream."

"Thank you." Zayn bit his lip for a moment, then took a deep breath. "So, I wanted to ask you something."

"My order?"

"No, well yes, in a bit, but no, there was something else," Zayn stumbled over his words a little. "There was something else that I wanted to know though. Or rather, uh." He huffed out a breath and rubbed a hand over his face. "This is going horribly."

"I think you're doing okay," Liam said encouragingly. "I like the stammering. It's cute."

"That's not helping in the slightest," Zayn grumbled quietly.

"Sorry, I'll shut up then," Liam ran a hand through his hair and gave a small smile.

"Thank you," Zayn sighed. "Okay. I was wondering if you'd like to go to dinner with me sometime? Like, on a date?"

"A date?" Liam checked.

"Yeah."

"You and me?"

"Yes," Zayn glared a little. "Although if you keep asking me like that, I'm gonna change my mind."

"I'm just checking cos I thought I'd fallen asleep again and was dreaming, that's all," Liam said smoothly. "The answer is most definitely yes. Yes, I'll go on a dinner date with you. I'd be thrilled to."

"You... you're serious?" Zayn stared. "You're not taking the piss?"

"No, Zayn, definitely not taking the piss," Liam grinned, standing up and taking Zayn's hand. "I'd be honoured."

"Well, okay then," Zayn nodded firmly. "I, uh. I don't have a piece of paper on me, but I will go and write down my number for you once I've taken your order, and then you can drop me a message so we can arrange it all."

"That sounds like an excellent plan."

Zayn grinned, his tongue pressed to the back of his teeth for a moment and then ducked his head shyly.

"So... your order?"

Liam beamed at him.

"Spinach and feta muffin," he started.

"And a lime water," Zayn chuckled as he joined in. "Okay, babe. On its way."

~~~~

It took a few stilted, uncertain, and overly polite texts before the two of them relaxed into it, and managed to arrange their date for the following Tuesday, at Zayn's suggestion as it was the only day that  _ Zap! _ closed at six pm instead of eight. Following the decision of the date was the debate of what they would actually do. Zayn had been set on just dinner, but then Liam suggested that they go to the cinema to see Captain Marvel afterwards.

"What the fuck do I say to that?" Zayn groaned, slouching over the front counter.

"You've already seen it three times?" Louis suggested. "So you can practically recite it?"

"Not helpful," Zayn glared.

"Tell him that it's an awesome suggestion cos you love Marvel?" Harry offered. "But change it to you seeing the film first. Then you can talk about it over dinner. Everyone knows that's the best way to have a date."

"I don't want to come across as an utter geek," Zayn sighed.

"Dude, you have a fucking comic book-style tattoo on your arm, and you named your fucking cafe after it," Louis pointed out. "I think it's safe to say that he already knows that you're an utter geek."

"Fuck you," Zayn flipped him off.

"You're gonna be fine," Harry reassured him. "Just make sure you wear those tight ripped jeans of yours. The black ones that I got you last year. And your Misfits top. With your leather jacket. And your bomber boots. You'll look cool and sexy, without looking like you've tried too hard."

"Thanks, Haz." Zayn took a deep breath. "It's just a date though. I'm sure I can dress myself."

"Oh, I know you can," Harry agreed. "But I also know you'll wear that. Cos you'll look sick."

Zayn huffed and threw a tea towel at him.

"You think you're so clever Styles," he muttered.

"Send me a photo Tuesday, whatever you decide on," Harry reasoned. "Just so I can say 'I told you so' when you go with what I suggested," he added with a grin.

~~~~

On Tuesday evening, Zayn was cursing quietly under his breath as he tugged at his jacket over his Misfits tee and stepped into the lobby of the cinema.

"Hey, uh, wow," Liam greeted him, making him jump slightly. "You look amazing."

"Th-thanks," Zayn blushed and looked awkwardly at his feet. "Uh, so do you," he murmured, taking in Liam's appearance in blue denims, trainers, and a white tee. "You look awesome."

"Oh, I uh, I took the liberty of getting our tickets already?" Liam said, holding them up. "Got the good seats in the middle with the chilled drinks holders, comfy cushions, and plenty of leg room." He shrugged a shoulder. "I like to stretch out a bit."

"Me too, so that's ace," Zayn nodded. "Uh, I do have to admit something though."

"Uh oh," Liam gave him a side glance. "Is this gonna make me an accomplice to a crime or something? Should I be looking over my shoulder when I know this?"

Zayn giggled into his shoulder, then nudged at Liam.

"No, nothing like that," he snickered. "But I have already seen this film." He scratched nervously at the back of his neck. "Like, three times."

"Well, if we're being honest like that," Liam bit his lip. "I've seen it four times?"

They gazed at each other for a couple of beats, before they both burst out laughing. A fellow cinema-goer, who had been trying to get past them for a few minutes, eventually huffed and forced their way past, pushing Liam into Zayn. They both looked at the other person, then each other, and started laughing again, finding the screen and stumbling slightly as they went inside.

A couple of hours later, they followed the stream of people as they left the screen and then the cinema itself, walking down the street and talking non-stop about the Marvel universe and all the twists and turns and plot holes that had happened in the series over the past ten years of development.

They eventually reached the restaurant and made their way inside to sit at a table. While Liam hadn't appeared particularly knowledgeable over the weeks about art, despite his attempts to bullshit his way through their previous conversations, Zayn found that on other subjects - such as their current debate between the qualities of Marvel versus DC - he was incredibly eloquent and concise in his span of knowledge and reference. Zayn also couldn't help but notice exactly how much Liam was flirting with him, to the obvious annoyance of the waitress, who had been trying to get his attention through taking their order for drinks and then food, to no avail.

"Y'know something?" Zayn eventually said as he twirled his spaghetti around his fork.

"Whatever you're willing to tell me," Liam replied with a smile.

"Smooth, very smooth," Zayn chuckled. "But what I was going to say was this; tonight's been amazing. It definitely didn't go the way I expected - you're not what I expected, if I'm honest."

"What did you expect from me?" Liam looked mildly confused.

"I dunno. You're a lot more charming than I was expecting."

"Are you saying I'm not charming in your cafe?" Liam asked indignantly.

"Well, yes, you are," Zayn backtracked quickly. "But, not... not like this." He shrugged a shoulder. "It's just a lot more intense in this situation, I guess. Not in a bad way, of course. But definitely more intense."

"In that case, I'm hoping that it's good enough so that when I walk you home later, you don't rebuke any attempts I may or may not make at getting a good night kiss," Liam commented offhandedly, pushing his fork through his pasta nonchalantly.

"Woah, hold back a little there, soldier," Zayn held up a hand. "Let's not get carried away now. We'll have to see how it goes, buddy!"

"I'm just saying, that's all. Making you aware of my intentions for tonight." Liam shot Zayn a smirk. "A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend."

Zayn chuckled softly and ducked his head again.

"Well, don't get your hopes up, cos I'm not promising anything."

~~~~

After a small debate over who was getting the bill (Zayn insisted he should, because he'd asked Liam out in the first place, and Liam had already paid for the tickets and snacks at the cinema, while Liam just wanted to be a gentleman. Zayn managed to win out by slapping down his card and shoving it at the waitress before Liam had a chance to counter), the couple made their way outside, shivering slightly in the cool breeze.

"Bit chillier than I was expecting," Zayn commented, rubbing at one arm.

"Well, you'll warm up quicker than I will," Liam chuckled. "I forgot to bring a jacket." He shrugged. "Not a problem, I'll warm up when we start walking. Which way do you live?"

"This way," Zayn gestured.

They set off down the road, pressing closer to try and preserve body heat, and still talking quietly. Before he even really recognised that the time had passed, Zayn came to a stop outside his house.

"Oh, uh, this is me," he frowned slightly. "That didn't take as long as usual, I swear."

"You know what they say about time flying," Liam gave him a shy but cheeky smile.

"It definitely does," Zayn agreed. "Thank you, for this evening. It's been brilliant. Definitely not what I was expecting either."

"You keep saying that, and I'm still not sure what to make of it," Liam chuckled. "But y'know, I'll take it." He shrugged a shoulder. "You've been an excellent date. And I'd be happy to make it happen again, if you're willing."

"I... do not see why that couldn't be a thing," Zayn said slowly, giving Liam a slow smile. "I think it would be pretty amazing, actually."

Liam beamed brightly, his eyes crinkling up even more as he blushed hard.

"That's aces, thank you," he gushed.

"You don't need to thank me, babe," Zayn said in amusement, as he leaned back against his front door.

"Well, I mean." Liam sighed as he scratched the back of his neck. "I'll be honest, I don't usually get good feedback on dates. Well, not on the ones I've been on. People seem to think I'm a bit odd, or a bit of a nerd. Or I say the wrong thing." He sighed and his shoulders slumped a little. "I guess, putting myself out there's pretty hard. Especially --"

He cut himself off and bit his lip.

"Especially...?" Zayn prompted.

"Nah, it's nothing really," Liam shrugged. "I'm just a bit of a strange person, I guess."

"Well, I think everyone who thinks that doesn't know the real you," Zayn assured him. "Or at least, they haven't given you the chance that you deserve." He pushed himself upright, taking a step closer. "I think you deserve everything, if I'm honest." He leaned in slowly, pressing a soft kiss to Liam's lips.

Liam hummed quietly, resting his hands lightly on Zayn's hips.

"That was not expected in the slightest," he murmured as Zayn pulled back a moment later.

"Glad to hear it," Zayn smiled. "I'd hate to be predictable." He gave Liam a quick wink. "I'll see you at the cafe."

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and unlocked the door to slip inside, leaving Liam on the doorstep.

~~~~

"So how did it go, Zaynie?" Louis greeted him the next morning.

Zayn stared at him for a moment.

"Can't a guy get settled in for the work day before he gets interrogated?" he asked with a huff.

"Nope, cos this is far more important than your stupid cafe," Louis declared, resting his elbows on the counter. "Now, spill."

"Louis, leave him be," Harry chastised from the kitchen. "The poor boy's recovering. Either from a really awful date, or a really, really, fantastically good one." He smirked. "And I'm bettering on the latter."

"Will you both calm down?" Zayn sighed. "The date went well. We're gonna see each other again. He'll be here whenever. It was good."

"Okay, that's fine as an overview, but what about the details?" Louis needled. "I wanna know everything. What you wore, what you ate, what he wore, what he ate, what you talked about..."

"You are very, very creepy, you know that?" Zayn commented, staring at him.

"Yeah, yeah, been told that before," Louis waved a hand dismissively. "Now spill already."

With a roll of his eyes, Zayn shared a little more detail about the date, up until they got back to Zayn's place.

"What happened then?" Harry asked, having come out of the kitchen to hear the tale. "Did you get a goodnight kiss? Or did you give it?"

"How do you know there was even a kiss?" Zayn shifted.

"Because you're being all awkward and avoidy," Louis pointed out. "You're only like that when you have something to hide. And the only thing you have to hide is whether you snogged the boy, or shagged him."

"I didn't shag him!" Zayn protested. "I don't put out on the first date!"

"Don't you start slut shaming, Zayn Javaad Malik," Harry pointed at him. "What people do with their bodies is entirely up to them."

"I'm not slut shaming!" Zayn held his hands up defensively. "I'm just saying that it's not my way. I'd rather there be a bit of a connection."

"And was there a connection? Like, tab A, slot B, kinda connection?" Louis smirked.

"No, there were no insertions," Zayn rolled his eyes. "We just... shared a kiss. That's all."

"Oooh, a kiss," Louis grinned. "That's adorable."

"Lou, be nice," Harry nudged him. "I think it's cute. I'm glad you've found someone who might even be enough to make you want to settle down."

"Let's not go that far," Zayn sighed. "I'm still getting weird vibes off of the guy when it comes to art. Still freaked me out a bit."

"Really?" Harry frowned. "I think you should just talk to him about it. Be up front. Open. Don't start this off with mistrust and potentially lies."

"I know, I know you're right, Haz," Zayn sighed. "But you know how it is, right? It's just getting built up into something more than it actually is? And stopping that's gonna be hard."

“We have faith and trust—” “and pixie dust!” Louis chimed in. “—that you’ll handle this with the grace and class that you usually do,” Harry assured him. “You’re full of tact and diplomacy, Zayn. You can deal with this.”

“I hope you guys are right,” Zayn sighed, before he grabbed his iPad and slipped it into the pocket of his apron, ready for the first customers.

~~~~

To no one’s surprise but Zayn’s, Liam showed up that afternoon, at the usual time in his usual seat.

“Hi,” Zayn greeted him shyly, approaching the table slowly.

“Hi yourself,” Liam grinned. “How’s it going today?”

“Same old,” Zayn shrugged. “A little busier than normal, but the fair down the road helps out with that.” He bit his lip lightly before he spoke again, starting to psych himself up to broach the topic he was most desperate to know. “How are you?”

“I’m really good,” Liam nodded enthusiastically. “Did you enjoy last night? I mean, I know you said you did last night, but y’know, cold light of day, things can change…?”

“I definitely enjoyed last night,” Zayn reassured him with a soft smile. “I hope you did too?”

“Yes, yes, definitely,” Liam nodded again.

“I’ll just put your order through, then I’ll come talk to you when I bring it over?” Zayn suggested.

Liam beamed and gave him a thumbs up, before pulling out his phone and opening a game of Candy Crush while he waited.

“Did you ask him yet?” Louis demanded as he slid Liam’s glass of lime water across the counter.

“No, give me a bloody chance,” Zayn grumbled. “The bloke’s only just sat down. I said I’d take his food over and then chat.”

“Wait!” Harry came barrelling out of the kitchen, garnering the attention of everyone in the cafe. “Sorry, sorry,” he waved a hand to the customers. “Nothing to worry about, please continue with your refreshments,” he added with a bright smile, before he stepped over to the counter and dropped his voice. “I don’t think you should talk about it here. What if he gets all defensive or it turns into an argument? You don’t need that here.”

“Oh, thanks Haz,” Zayn huffed. “Why didn’t you mention this before? I was all ready to go say something!”

“Also, you had a call from the art agent,” Harry added. “He’s on his way with the new JP works. He said you knew that he’d be earlier this week? Something about going home to Ireland with his boyfriend?”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot that,” Zayn sighed heavily. “He’s taking his bloke back to meet his family for the first time. He was very excited, but also bricking it rather a lot, when I spoke to him a couple days ago.”

“Well, he said he’ll be about five minutes, if that, and he’ll come around the front cos it’s easier during the day,” Harry elaborated.

“Anything else you want to add to that, Haz?” Louis asked with an amused look.

“Oh, he reckons the art’s a bit different now,” Harry continued. “He thinks the artist has found a new muse.”

“Great,” Zayn ran a hand over his face. “Let’s hope it’s not too different, and that it’ll still sell. That particular artist is my best-seller. I don’t really want to see a dip in sales because the artist has found something else to focus on.”

“One spinach and feta muffin for your boy toy,” Louis told him, sliding it over the counter. “Go hand it over. Try not to stress until you’ve seen the art.”

Zayn nodded reluctantly and grabbed the plate and glass.

“I’ll be back when Niall gets here,” he told them. “The art agent,” he added with a roll of his eyes when they both looked at him blankly. “Other than that, you’ll have to handle things yourselves.”

He wove in and out of the tables and chairs, returning to Liam.

“Sorry about that,” he apologised. “The lads were being, well, dicks.”

“Not a problem,” Liam said easily. “I get what friends are like. I have one who’s been bugging me for days about you, to be honest.” He chuckled softly, a light blush staining his cheeks. “I think I’m gonna have to tell him something soon, or he’ll just come and talk to you himself.” He rolled his eyes. “And he’s Irish, so he has literally zero qualms about approaching anyone at any time and asking them anything at all.”

“Well, Louis’ not Irish, but he has the exact same attitude,” Zayn sighed, glaring at the man in question as he made a rude gesture across the cafe. “I keep thinking about sacking him, but he does the books, so I’d have to actually hire an accountant. And I think I’d lose my pastry chef too, considering they’re a couple.” He sighed. “Far too expensive to think about.”

Liam giggled quietly into his hand, before taking a sip of his drink.

“So what did you want to discuss?” He asked, breaking his muffin in half.

“I’m gonna have to rain check it,” Zayn said with an apologetic look. “I have an art agent coming in the next few minutes with some new work to sell, so I haven’t got time to really sit with you for long.” He frowned slightly as he noted the way Liam had paled. “Are you okay? Is there something wrong with the muffin?”

“N-no, no,” Liam stammered. “Uh, which art agent?”

“Niall Horan,” Zayn said slowly. “He’s the agent I deal with for JP.” He pointed at the canvas they were sat next to. “Why? What’s wrong, Liam?”

“Payno!” A voice boomed across the cafe from the door. “So this is where you’ve been hiding out practically every afternoon!”

Zayn looked from Liam to Niall, the art agent, in confusion.

“You know Niall?” He asked slowly.

Niall made his way over to them, apologising repeatedly as he knocked against customers with the canvases in his arms.

“Y’know, if I’d realised you were going to be here,” he huffed as he approached the table, “I’d have made you bring these yourself. You know how bloody cumbersome they are!”

"I, uh," Liam stared at him, his mouth slightly agape.

"And you!" Niall turned to Zayn. "You didn't tell me you knew Liam! I'd have told you to talk all of it over with him - he obviously has a far better idea of what he's producing than I do. I'm not exactly an art critic - most of this stuff just looks like splodges of paint in random places, if I'm completely honest - but he can prattle on for hours about colour and light and hue and all that shit."

"I, um, I wasn't exactly aware," Zayn said slowly.

"What do you mean?" Niall stopped and looked at him in bafflement, before raising an eyebrow at Liam. "I thought you'd introduced yourself? You told me you were going around all the outlets and letting them know who you were and how to contact you if they needed anything, or if anyone had a question." He huffed loudly. "I wondered why I kept getting queries from Zayn and no one else."

"I'm sorry," Zayn said quickly.

"No, no, you have nothing to apologise for," Niall interrupted.

"No, that... that is definitely all me," Liam mumbled. "I just... I liked you. And I didn't want to have the whole thing of you selling my stuff hanging over us. I just wanted to get to know you."

"Ohh," Niall suddenly said as the penny dropped. "Sorry. I'm... just gonna go grab a drink. Leave you two to it."

With that, he propped the canvases against the table and darted quickly over to Louis at the counter.

Zayn sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair before he looked up at Liam.

"I don't understand why a) you thought it would make a difference, or b) why you felt you had to lie about how much you know about art? That's the one that's been really baffling me," Zayn said softly. "Cos you've not been as consistent as you possibly would've liked. There were a few times when it was very clear just how knowledgeable you are about the art world. And then another time, you acted like you didn't know one end of a paintbrush from the other."

"I know, I know, I was an absolute dickhead," Liam sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I just. I stupidly thought it was the best way to go about things. I didn't realise that we would end up going out on a date. Or that I'd like you as much as I do."

"I'm not sure what to say right now," Zayn admitted. "I think..." He paused to take a deep breath. "I think I'm going to need some time. A bit of space? If that's okay. Just while I sort out how I feel about this."

"Yeah, yeah, I get that," Liam nodded slowly. "But if it makes any difference at all - I really think we could be something pretty amazing. If you can get past my stupid behaviour, and take a chance on me."

"I've got your number, Li," Zayn assured him gently. "I'll let you know. But please don't come by here for the next few days."

"I can respect that," Liam said softly and got to his feet. "I'll leave the canvases. Niall can go through this with you. But I hope you like them."

Zayn didn't verbalise a further reply, just nodded once as Liam left him alone.

Louis and Niall exchanged knowing looks at the counter, before Niall grabbed his mug of coffee and made his way over to the table.

"Well now," he started as he sat. "I have no idea what just went down, but I've been given instruction to go through these canvases with you one by one. The artist is hoping that you'll be able to sell all of these through your market and demographic. He's been designing a little more precisely, with your store as a targeted focus."

Zayn sat there as Niall talked, letting his words just flow over him with barely a response, too caught up in his thoughts as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. He'd been saying to Louis and Harry for weeks that there was something bizarre surrounding Liam and art, but he could never have predicted it would be something so extreme. He'd lost count of how many times he'd said to Liam how successful JP is, and how much money the sales were bringing in for both  _ Zap!  _ and the artist.

"So I said to the bright green billy goat, if you go and talk to me mam, the giraffe, she'll see you right..."

Zayn frowned in confusion at Niall as he tuned back in to hear what Niall had said.

"Oh, you're back then," Niall observed. "I've been talking nonsense about goats and leprechauns for the past five minutes, but you've been off in a world of your own. It's a little unnerving."

"Sorry mate," Zayn apologised immediately. "I didn't mean to."

"Ahh, you're grand," Niall waved a hand dismissively. "I don't know what shit Payno's got himself into, but I'm sure it's a clusterfuck for you to deal with. So I'm just gonna leave the canvases here, and you can decide whether you want to hang them, sell them, set fire to them, whatever. I'll even waive the charge if you do the last one, to be honest. Cos it sounds like he's been a lying liar who lies."

"It's not that bad," Zayn mumbled. "He just... left some things out."

"Uh huh, that sounds like an understatement if ever I heard one," Niall pointed out, standing and collecting his bag from the floor. "Take your time, mate. I'll be back in London next Wednesday, so I'll come and see you by Friday at the latest. Take it easy, and do whatever feels right."

"I think that's the part that's hardest," Zayn said ruefully.

"Isn't it always?" Niall flashed him a smile and a quick two fingered salute to the temple, before he left the cafe.

Louis watched quietly as Zayn stood and approached the counter, canvases in hand.

"Well, that was suitably dramatic," he said carefully. "Do I want to know exactly what happened?" He shrugged a shoulder. "Or rather, would you care to share what happened? Because obviously something went down."

"Yeah," Zayn replied softly, sighing heavily as he propped the canvases against the counter, before resting his elbows on the top and burying his face in his hands for a few moments. He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair as he looked up at Louis. "Liam's JP."

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" Louis asked in confusion.

"JP," Zayn repeated. "The artist, JP. The one who does all the work that actually sells. That's Liam."

"Holy shit, seriously?" Louis stared for a moment, then let out a low whistle. "Who'd've thought it?" He let out a chuckle. "And you've been banging on about how clueless he is about art. The irony!"

"Yes, thank you, Lewis," Zayn grumbled. "I'm not completely unaware of the situation. I realise that he could probably teach me a thing or two. Which explains the weird, disjointed feeling I kept getting from him over the past few weeks. If he was trying to hide who he was and how much he knows, then it must've been difficult to keep the truth hidden and the stories he was using instead as a facade."

"That sounds... incredibly complicated," Louis observed. "Do you even know why he did it?"

"Not really," Zayn sighed and straightened up to stand properly. "I dunno if I even want to talk to him again anyway. We'd have to go through all of this, and I'm not sure I really want to know what reasons he can come up with for it."

"How about you give him a chance, just to start off?"

"My heart says yes," Zayn said slowly. "But my head is feeling incredibly defensive and is saying definitely not."

"Tell your head to shut the fuck up for five minutes, and consider your heart," Louis shrugged. "He obviously has reasons."

"I'll think about it," Zayn promised. "Now let's get our customers served. I'll get these canvases into the office."

As much as he wanted to stand there and discuss everything about what had happened in the previous half an hour, he had a business to run, and that had to take priority over his love life at that precise moment. It's not like he was going anywhere.

~~~~

"So I think you should ask to meet him, and explain that you need to know what the hell he thought he was doing," Harry declared, with absolutely no introduction to the topic at all. "I think he's treated you abysmally, and he needs to know that. And I think, or rather I hope, that he's apologetic and grovels on his hands and knees." He glanced over at the door, his eyes widening at something. "Or, the old fashioned huge floral bouquet works just as well, I suppose."

He leapt to his feet and darted across the cafe floor to tug open the door and take the large arrangement of flowers from the delivery person.

"Thank you!" Harry called as he shut the door and flicked the lock back across. "Zaynie! Flowers!"

"So I see," Zayn said wryly. "I'm guessing they're from Liam?"

"I'm not about to go reading the card!" Harry gasped. "What if it gets a bit kinky? My innocent eyes do not need to be seeing such things, Zayn. You should know this by now."

"Yeah, your eyes are innocent, sure thing," Zayn snorted. "Okay, c'mere. Let's get a look at them."

He eyed the extravagant bouquet critically, before he leaned in to grab the card nestled among the blooms.

"'Dear Zayn'," he read. "'Please accept these flowers as my humble apology for everything that has happened. I never meant to lie to you - I just wanted to be normal for once. It was a slippery slope that I couldn't seem to get myself off of.'" Zayn sighed softly. "'But I hope that you are able to forgive me. You have my number if you ever want to talk or text. I meant what I said - I really think we could be good together. Love, Liam.'" He huffed and shoved the card back in amongst the flowers. "Well that's just fantastic, isn't it?"

"It is?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"How can I still be mad after that?" Zayn demanded. "He's being a bloody soft old romantic, which absolutely does not send my heart all a-flutter, or make me bat my eyelids at him."

"I think you're lying," Louis nodded solemnly.

"No shit, Sherlock?" Zayn sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "I'll send him a text, but I'll ask him to give me some more time. Because I definitely need it."

"Why?" Louis asked unexpectedly.

"Why what?"

"Why do you need more time? What is time going to change for you?"

"Well, just like, to get my head around it," Zayn said slowly.

"How much more can you get your head around it?" Louis continued. "You know what's happened. He's sort of given you an explanation. What else is there?"

"I guess, how I feel about it?" Zayn offered. "Like, could this really go anywhere? Can I trust him after he so blatantly lied?"

"I suppose," Louis nodded slowly. "But was it really that significant a lie? I mean, yes, it was a biggie - he could've just been up front with you to start with about the whole 'hey so I paint your most successful pictures', but like... it doesn't really change anything about him as a person, does it? It's not like your interest in someone is entirely dependent on their line of work, is it?"

"You are sounding far too logical to be Louis," Zayn stated deadpan. "Where's the real Louis? What have you done to him? If you're testing for brain, give up now."

"That's enough joking, you know exactly what I mean," Louis huffed.

"Yeah, yeah I do," Zayn nodded slowly. "I, uh. I won't text him now. But, um..." He glanced between Louis and Harry. "Would you two be okay if I knocked off early today?"

"Oh, I dunno," Harry shrugged pathetically. "I mean, however would we manage? How would we cope? If you're not here to guide us through the stormy seas of the catering industry, with all those mean customers, and unwashed mugs?"

"Shut your face, Harold," Louis rolled his eyes. "Yes, we'll be fine. Go. Think. Brood. Sulk. Pout. Then get over yourself and call him. Things will be a lot happier for you and for us."

"Why for you?" Zayn raised an eyebrow as he untied his apron from around his waist.

"Cos we won't have to put up with you bitching and whining and moping about the place like a moody, stroppy teenager," Louis smiled sweetly, before he let out a huff as he got a face full of Zayn's apron. "The disrespect."

Zayn left without a word, just waving dismissively over his head as he pulled the door closed behind him, and made his way back home on foot.

Hands buried deep in his pockets, with his head down, deep in thought, his feet found the way through the streets on autopilot, as he lost himself in thoughts and memories of everything that had happened over the previous few weeks, and how he felt about it. He could see what Louis meant; it was obvious that Liam hadn't set out to deliberately and maliciously lie to him about the artwork. He'd looked a little like a rabbit in headlights when Zayn had first approached him, and that look had been present for most of their interactions, like he could never quite believe that Zayn was even acknowledging his existence, let alone holding full blown conversations with him, and asking him out on dates.

He unlocked his front door and made his way into the flat, immediately being greeted by Timber who seemed delighted that her human (read: slave) was home early and could therefore refresh her bowls of food and water.

"Hey Timbs," Zayn murmured quietly, reaching down to stroke a hand over the cat's head and back. "You gonna help me work this out?" He watched as she wove between his legs a couple of times, before she settled down for a wash in the middle of the hallway. "I guess not. I'll sort out your food in a bit, darling. I'm just gonna sit for a few minutes."

Ignoring the incredulous look the tabby gave him, Zayn slipped into the lounge and dropped onto the sofa with a heavy sigh. He knew that a lot of his problems were of his own making, so he just had to try and deal with how he felt about everything, and then hopefully, he and Liam would be able to make something out of the current mess they were in.

He rubbed a hand over his face and grumbled under his breath. He'd always been better at hiding from things than confronting them, and this was no different. Being honest with himself was the first step - and he knew that if he looked deep into his heart, he’d find a genuine affection for Liam, and the agreement that they could make something good together, if Zayn could only see to give them a chance.

It was later that evening, once he’d fed Timber and himself, that he finally got the courage together to pick up his phone. He slid his finger across the screen to unlock it, and easily navigated to Liam’s number in his contacts. Bracing himself, he tapped gently on the number to call, and lifted the phone to his ear, waiting nervously as he listened for the ringtone.

Barely two rounds of tone and it cut off.

“Hello?” Liam asked quickly.

“Hey, Liam,” Zayn said softly. “It’s Zayn.”

“Hi…” Liam breathed out carefully, as though trying not to spook him. “How’s it going?”

“Uh, well, that’s what I called you about, I guess.”

“Okay.”

Zayn screwed up his face and rubbed at his eyes, smiling as Timber jumped onto his lap with a loud ‘mrrow’.

“Is that Timber?” Liam asked quickly.

“Yeah, she just jumped up for attention,” Zayn explained.

“She’s very loud.”

“She’s louder at three in the morning when I’m trying to get some sleep before an early morning.” Zayn gently scratched under her chin. “But she’s worth it.”

“Sorry, we got a bit off track there,” Liam apologised. “What were you going to say?”

“Thank you for the flowers,” Zayn started. “They’re beautiful. And completely unexpected.”

“You’re welcome,” Liam murmured.

“And thank you for the note, it really meant a lot to read that,” Zayn continued. “Also, if it’s still on the table, then I’d like to take up your offer… about us being good together.”

“Yes!” Liam exclaimed quickly. “Yes! Uh, I mean.” He huffed softly. “Sorry. But yes. I’d love to. That would be… perfect.”

"Okay, good!" Zayn replied brightly, but going silent as he tried to work out what to say next.

"Uh... so... where do we start?" Liam asked after a few moments of silence.

"Dinner," Zayn blurted out. "With me. Tonight?"

"Um... it's nearly midnight," Liam pointed out carefully.

"Shit, yes it is," Zayn muttered, rubbing at his eyes. "Sorry. Completely lost track of time. I shouldn't have called this late."

"No, no!" Liam half-shrieked. "It's fine! Really! I was awake, and this is definitely a call worth the late hour. Please. Don't hang up, or anything like that."

"I wasn't going to hang up," chuckled Zayn. "But okay, how about breakfast instead?"

"At  _ Zap! _ ?"

"Oh god no, definitely not," Zayn said immediately. "Do you have a death wish or something? Because if we go there, I can tell you right now that Louis would not be able to keep his nosy, snarky, big mouth shut for even five minutes. And I for one do not want to be put through that first thing in the morning. No. Nowhere near there, if possible."

He smiled, hearing Liam's giggles quietly over the phone.

"Okay, there's this tiny little bistro cafe just around the corner from Leicester Square," Liam eventually managed. "It's not as nice as  _ Zap! _ , but they do okay."

"Sounds perfect," Zayn promptly agreed. "I'll meet you in the middle of Leicester Square at say... eight-thirty?"

"Yeah, it's perfect," Liam agreed. "I can't wait. But I'm paying this time. No splitting anything."

"If you insist," Zayn sighed heavily, sounding put-upon.

"I definitely insist," Liam said firmly. "Now... go get your sleep, babe. I'll see you in the morning."

"Oh shit, yeah, I'd better let Louis know that he and Haz need to open up," Zayn realised. "See you in the morning, Leeyum."

Still laughing quietly, Liam hung up, leaving Zayn smiling a little stupidly at Timber.

"Timbs, your daddy's got himself a breakfast date," he told the still purring cat. "So that means I need to get to bed to be properly rested for the morning. Which means you have to move." Timber gazed at him with big amber eyes, blinking slowly, and showing no sign of moving. "Okay, I'll text Uncle Louis first," Zayn sighed. "I swear to god you run this house with an iron paw. But I have to go to bed. I'm not sleeping on the sofa again, just because you're comfortable on my chest. You can curl up there when I'm in bed just as well."

Keeping up his constant chatter to the cat, Zayn send Louis a text informing him of the change in plans for the following day, before he convinced Timber to shift off of him so that he could take himself to bed. As soon as he'd gone through his evening ablutions and slipped under the duvet, Timber was immediately there, snuggling in and purring up a storm again.

"You are so bloody spoilt," he mumbled as he drifted off slowly. "Better hope Liam likes you, and you like Liam, hadn't we?"

~~~~

_ A year later _

"Welcome to the five year anniversary of  _ Zap! _ ," Zayn called out as he stood on the small stage. "We are incredibly grateful to have you all here tonight to celebrate. Tonight we will be opening the stage to anything and everything - whether you want to sing, dance, quote prose or rhyme, the stage is yours. But first up, a dear friend of ours, who has taken a break from his day job as an agent to pick up a guitar and give us a song or two; give it up for Mr Niall Horan!"

He stepped down off of the stage, high-fiving Niall as he passed the Irishman practically bouncing up onto the stage. Zayn made his way through the tables to the back of the room, slipping his arms around Liam's waist and smiling at Louis and Harry.

"Can you believe this is five years?" he asked reverently.

"I don't think I could believe it when you started asking me three weeks ago," Louis said flatly. "I'm fairly sure that in that time I've managed to get my head around the idea though."

"Be nice," Harry chastised gently. "We talked about this."

"You said I couldn't call him a dickhead or a wanker, you didn't say anything about reining in the snark," Louis huffed.

"Well, I'm saying now," Harry told him firmly.

Watching them in amusement, Liam pressed a kiss to Zayn's temple.

"I'm really proud of you," he said quietly. "You've done an amazing job with this place. And you deserve all of this success." He glanced over at the door. "Look, there are still people wanting to come in. They're genuinely being turned away. How amazing is that?"

"This has definitely wound up being a lot bigger than I could've ever expected," Zayn murmured. "I'm so grateful to everyone and everything for this amazing... accomplishment, I guess." He glanced up at Liam. "And a huge thank you to you, of course. Your artwork did so much for this place. I'm indebted to you and your work for all the money you brought me."

"It's nothing," Liam shrugged a shoulder. "I'm just glad we worked things out between us. Could've been a whole other story if you hadn't called me that night."

"I know, and I'm so relieved every day that I did," Zayn mumbled, pressing a kiss to Liam's shoulder.

"I think I'm most relieved that Timber likes me," Liam nodded solemnly. "It looked a bit touch and go for a moment there, but she pulled together. Did what her daddy wanted."

"First time for everything," Zayn chuckled.

As Niall finished bantering with the audience and pulled the guitar across his knee, starting to play carefully but accurately, Zayn continued to watch Liam quietly.

The past year had been interesting for sure. It took a long time for them to settle down into what they had become; a solid couple. They both had a lot to learn about each other, but they fell in love with each other fairly quickly. What had been so uncertain and shaky at the start, had steadied and settled and grown into a loving and supportive relationship.

As Liam laughed uproariously at something Niall was doing onstage, Zayn smiled. He knew, in his heart of hearts, that the ring he had waiting at home, the ring he'd bought with Louis' help only a few days before, was going to look perfect on the finger of the man he'd chosen to be his for the rest of forever. He just had to try and work out the best way to propose...

**Author's Note:**

> [Rebloggable tumblr post - to be added after the reveal]


End file.
